Now it’s time for part two of this week's Creature Double Feature: “Return of the Crypt Beetle!”
This week’s “Share Your Battle” feature is the Crypt Beetle. This is my second SYB post of the week. In my first post I noted how this member of the death splinter makes an exemplary rearguard against low-powered sneaks, especially those that creep up in low-mana matches. All well and good, except my match ended up being against fire, and although I won, the Crypt Beetle didn’t play as pivotal a role as I would have liked. If you are interested, here is a link to that post.
But if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again. So I have been keeping my eyes open for a battle that really highlights the Crypt Beetle’s true strength—the strength of its hide!
We can see from the Beetle’s level-progression chart, that it's never very fast, and it never really hits very hard. But for its low 3-mana summoning cost, it is consistently well armored and wields the shield ability, making it a bug that’s awfully hard to smush.
As I noted previously, I wasn’t really happy with how my first post failed to show the true strength of the Crypt Beetle.
But while I was playing with my “Spellbook Only Challenge” account, I drew what I believed was the perfect match! The battle featured the Super Sneak rules, where all melee attackers gain the sneak ability, and the mana cap was a paltry 14, helping ensure that powerful attackers wouldn’t be present. Rounding out the rules, the water splinter was disallowed.
I usually make it a point to carefully check my opponents last five matches. However, on this occasion, I was so excited for the chance to use the Crypt Beetle in a more suitable match, that I totally forgot to look—something I hoped I wouldn't regret immediately after I pressed the button to start building my team.
My strategy was straight forward. Use a powerful tank and the Crypt Beetle as my rearguard. I was hoping that my Beetle would be totally shielded from the attacks of my opponent’s backlines. So that after my tank largely neutralized the enemy tank, my Beetle would be invincible as it mopped up the rest of the field.
To head my team, I chose Thaddius Brood. With minus one health and magic debuffs, Thaddius would weaken the opposing forces and increase my odds if they decided to disregard the sneak rules and go for an earth magic team.
Standing strong in the tank position I placed the Cursed Windeku. This 6-mana cost, death-team staple can be a savage tank. With a robust 9-health, it’s got what it takes to survive, while its 2-powered attack and 2-powered thorn counterattack helps it quickly bring down foes. Perfect for the strategy I am employing.
Filling the second position is the Carrion Shade. He gets a place on my team because I have a mana point to spare. And with its 2-health and 1-powered melee attack, it’s the best choice of my 1-mana-cost options. And with the Super Sneak rules, it might get in a lick or two.
Anchoring my team is the SYB featured Crypt Beetle. As previously noted, its job is to hold the backline and then mop up the remnants of my opponent’s team after my Windeku falls. And like with the Carrion Shade, the sneak rules will allow my tough, little bugger to attack my opponent’s backline from the start.
A Drake of Arnak, dragon team. Well, that’s a wild card, isn’t it. And we just have to wait and see what other splinter is being used too.
It’s death! And after a quick glance, I am sure I have this one in the bag. As far as the tanks are concerned, the point of armor my foe gains from the Drake is counterbalanced by Thaddius’ health debuff, and the Windekus are headed for mutually assured destruction to start round three. Beyond that, the opposing forces are all 1-powered melee sneaks who are not strong enough to do more than put cosmetic scratches in my Beetle’s shield. Exactly the kind of match I was hoping for!
You can see the match unfold and watch the Crypt Beetle in all its glory here.
The Undead Badger attacks my Beetle in round one… Strike one!
The Carrion shade takes a swipe as well… Strike two!
And the Cursed Slimeball also takes a hack… Strike three!
And before long, it's inevitable… He’s outta there!
Unlike in my previous post, in this match it was all about the Crypt Beetle. It harmlessly deflected five different attacks, protected my team from that many sneak attacks, and even delivered the final blow to finish off my opponent.
And that’s exactly why this ugly critter is always welcomed on my low-mana, death-splinter teams.